PCHR Warns of Fuel Shortage at Gaza Hospitals

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) warns of the deteriorating situation of the Palestinian patients in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing crisis of fuel shortage. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian Authority (PA) and international organizations to urgently intervene to order to ensure the rapid flow of fuel needed for the operation of generators in the health facilities in the Gaza Strip.

According to PCHR’s follow-up, the UAE Crescent Hospital in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, announced on Sunday, 13 January 2019, that its health services will stop within hours due to the fully running out of fuel needed to operate the generators. Dr. Waleed Madi, Director of the Hospital, said that the continuation of the fuel crisis threatens to stop the health services, including surgeries conducted in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the hospital. It should be noted that the UAE Crescent Hospital is the only hospital for Obstetrics and Gynecology services in Rafah City.

On Sunday, 13 January 2019, Ashraf al-Qadra, Spokesperson of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, warned that some health facilities and services would stop in the Gaza Strip due to the acute fuel crisis and the inability of the Ministry of Health to supply the fuel that is needed by hospitals and health centers in the Gaza Strip.

PCHR expresses its deep concern about the deterioration of the health conditions of the Palestinian patients in the Gaza Strip. Therefore, PCHR:

Calls upon the Palestinian Authority to hold its responsibilities and urgently intervene to ensure the flow of fuel needed by the health facilities in the Gaza Strip to alleviate the suffering of patients in the Gaza Strip hospitals;

Calls for coordination between the departments of the Ministry of Health in Ramallah and Gaza, and ensuring the right to health, including the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; and

Calls upon the international organizations, including United Nations bodies specialized in the intervention to provide immediate assistance to the health sector that would guarantee the continuation of services in all health facilities in the Gaza Strip.